1. Welcome to the A’ Level Geographical Fieldwork and Skills Day
Preparing you for the Unit 2 & Unit 4A examinations fieldwork investigation questions
Click dune photo for Barce clip

2. What do you need to know…?
The Unit 2 paper will have a fieldwork question worth 25 marks where you have to draw upon fieldwork you have experienced as part of your Geography course. You could be asked about one or more of the following:
Purpose – Aims / Hypotheses / Location / Theoretical background.
Data collection & Sampling Techniques.
Data presentation & Statistical Techniques.
Analysis and conclusion.
Risk assessment.
The same foci are used for the Unit 4a
Discuss worth 30% of AS course & total for Unit 2 paper is 50 – need to know either rivers or popn for 1st question / may want to complete Q.2 fieldwork to settle nerves

3. What do you need to know…?
Unit 4A is a more challenging examination than the AS equivalent Unit 2. The questions have to demonstrate elements of both synopticity and stretch and challenge. Essentially, the differences between the two examinations can be summarised as:
- Unit 2 — assesses what I did on my fieldwork
- Unit 4A — assesses why I did what I did on my fieldwork
Hence, all questions in Unit 4A will be evaluative (though can expect one or two for Unit 2). It is suggested that there is a limited range of questions that could be asked. The table below summarises a range of possible questions.
Total out of 60 = 40 on fieldwork + 20 on unfamiliar data = 40% of A2 or 20% of total A’ Level qualification

4. What do you need to know…?

5. POA, Today! Lesson 1: Purpose of the fieldwork investigation
Lesson 2: Methods of data collection, sampling techniques & risk assessment
Lesson 3: Data presentations & statistical tests
Lesson 4: Data analysis & evaluation
Lesson 5: Geographical skills – Basic statistical & graphical skills

6. Aim:
How and why does vegetation change across a psammosere at Llobregat delta, Barcelona?
Purpose of the investigation:
Aims, Hypotheses, Location & Theory
Aim – what it it? / Click to reveal

7. Where is the Llobregat Delta?
S.W. of Barcelona / Discuss justification for location – provide excellent example of zonation and succession + influence of winds (blow outs) +poss human
intereference in formation of Psammosere (recreation & trampling) + plagio climax (pine trees)– students note 1st page

8. What is the ‘textbook’ theory of psammosere succession?
Click photo for clip (2.10 mins) / Click Discuss general trends & click to reveal / click to go through in detail / then review again / Link to GepFactsheet

9. Theoretical background
Expectations:
High wind and high pH values to develop the embryo dune.
Grasses such as lyme grass and sea couch grass then appear.
A humus layer builds up which traps both water and nutrients. Marram grass is the most common species.
Vegetation reaches 100%.
Sand sedge and sea spurge start to dominate and small shrubs appear for the first time.
Shelter from winds and a true soil begins to develop.
Dune slacks.
Climatic climax vegetation is reached at the mature dune.
Develops a soil which can support shrubs and trees.

10. Debrief from their sheets and show / see end of teacher pack

11. A transect across a sand dune system
The transect above has hidden ‘hotspots’. Move your mouse over the diagram and these will be revealed. Progress across the transect using these hot spots.
You can return to this diagram at any time by using the return button
You can advance quickly from one slide to the next by using this button
You can go from this slide to the revision materials by using this button

12. Embryo and Fore Dunes: the environment
on-shore winds
Click on photo to reveal annotations
high water mark
seaweed deposits humus
poor water retention
sand builds up against pioneer plants
transient dunes
pH 7
%OM 0.1
sand alkaline

13. Embryo and Fore Dunes: the plants
The plants which grow here have adaptations which allow them to grow in a difficult environment :
Sandwort
• waxy leaves to retain moisture and withstand winds
Frosted orache
Saltwort
Sea couch
• prostrate (low) habit to avoid strong winds
• deep tap roots to obtain available moisture
Sea rocket
• high salt tolerance

14. Yellow Dunes: the environment
Click on photo to reveal annotations
above the level of high tides
‘Soil’ slightly less alkaline and more water retentive
Some humus forming
reduced wind speeds
Surface continually blown away and replenished with fresh sand
pH 6.5
%OM 0.23

15. Yellow Dunes: the plants
The dominant plant species is Marram grass:
Salt tolerant
Thrives on being buried by sand
Inrolled leaves to reduce moisture loss
Long tap roots
Underground rhizomes stabilise the sand
Other plants such as Ragwort, Red fescue and Sand sedge begin to appear

16. Grey Dunes: the environment
Click on photo to reveal annotations
sheltered by higher, seaward dunes
lower pH
little mobile sand
higher humus content
sand no longer accumulating
a more closed vegetation community in which marram grass is no longer able to compete
pH 5 - 6
%OM 1.0

17. Grey Dunes: the plants • higher species diversity • mainly perennials
• marram becomes more sparse
• surface lichens give ‘grey’ appearance
Older grey dunes may have extensive covering of
lichens
and heather

18. Dune Slacks: the environment
Click on photo to reveal annotations
occur in low lying hollows between dune ridges
relief intersects the water table
soil acidic
water table high – especially in winter
pH 4 - 5
%OM 8.5

19. Dune Slacks: the plants
The community which develops here comprises moisture-loving plants commonly found in many fresh water wetland areas e.g.
Flag iris
rushes
Phragmites reeds
Bog cotton

20. Dune Heath/Woodland: the environment
Click on photo to reveal annotations
maritime influence is minimal
well sheltered from winds
acidic soil
nutrient rich
soil has high organic matter content
pH 4
% OM 12.1

21. Dune Heath / Woodland: the plants
Human interference means that true mixed woodland climax vegetation is rarely seen on dune systems in the UK
Most dune systems develop into a community of heathland, woody perennials (often spinous) and scattered trees.
Heather
Revision materials
Heather
Sea buckthorn

22. Psammosere: summary of stages
Succession / pioneer / sereal stage / climatic climax / sub-climax / plagio climax / psammosere

23. Theoretical background
review again – need to specify plant species and range of pH’s etc

24. Theoretical thump-up!
Click to access / click game 1 / Dist ans sheet afterwards

25. Fieldwork Aims: Lucky Dip!
Question 1
Question 5
Question 9
Question 2
Question 6
Question 10
Question 3
Question 7
Question 11
Question 4
Question 8
Question 12
Starter lesson 4

26. For any Geography fieldwork study you have undertaken: Describe the purpose of the investigation
Students write title / complete – 6 mins / peer asses / click 4 timer

27. You have only………..
Using this PowerPoint break timer
This PowerPoint slide uses images, custom animation, and timing to provide a countdown timer that you can use in any presentation. When you open the template, you’ll notice that the timer is set at 00:00. However, when you start the slide show, the timer will start at the correct time and count down by 1-minute intervals until it gets to 1 minute. At that point, it will count down in two 30-seconds intervals to 00:00.
To insert this slide into your presentation
Save this template as a presentation (.ppt file) on your computer.
Open the presentation that will contain the timer.
On the Slides tab, place your insertion point after the slide that will precede the timer. (Make sure you don't select a slide. Your insertion point should be between the slides.)
On the Insert menu, click Slides from Files.
In the Slide Finder dialog box, click the Find Presentation tab.
Click Browse, locate and select the timer presentation, and then click Open.
In the Slides from Files dialog box, select the timer slide.
Select the Keep source formatting check box. If you do not select this check box, the copied slide will inherit the design of the slide that precedes it in the presentation.
Click Insert.
Click Close.
For any Geography fieldwork study you have undertaken: Describe the purpose of the investigation

28. For any Geography fieldwork study you have undertaken: Describe the purpose of the investigation
Peer assess mark to level – WWW & EBI

29. For any Geography fieldwork study you have undertaken: Describe the purpose of the investigation
Peer assess – WWW & EBI

30. What are other likely opening questions at AS Level?

31. What are other likely opening questions at A2 Level?
Refer to ‘explain’ questions for location and theory to aim to distinguish between A2 & AS